A Talent for Trouble

A girl determined to follow her dream persuades two friends to join her for an off-the-grid adventure that becomes a survival story as they confront storms, illness, injury, and a gang of international jewel thieves.

Desperate to meet up with her unpredictable father, quiet Alice persuades two friends to abandon their boarding school’s orienteering exercise and head for a remote, inaccessible island. As they confront storms, illness, injury, and a gang of international jewel thieves, the quest tests their courage and loyalty and strengthens the bonds of friendship. Readers will cheer the runaways on, laugh with them at their foibles, and share Alice’s pleasure in overcoming the obstacles that stand in her way. This combination adventure, school story, and family story will delight fans of all three genres.

For Alice and her friends, what begins as a simple runaway plan spirals into a true test of courage—

• Boarding School Runaways: When a school camping trip becomes a chance to escape, Alice, Jesse, and Fergus trade their maps for a real adventure.
• A Survival Story for Kids: From raging storms to unexpected injuries on a remote Scottish island, the trio must rely on each other to make it through.
• Found Family: A quiet writer, a by-the-book orienteer, and a hilarious prankster must become a team if they hope to succeed.
• An Unexpected Mystery: Their search for Alice’s father takes a dangerous turn when they realize they aren’t the only ones on the island.

? "A rewarding novel with distinctive settings, well-drawn characters, and a satisfying conclusion." —Booklist, STARRED Review    "[D]elightfully in the spirit of classic British school stories...[a] buoyant coming-of-age tale....Smashing: a romantic, ripping yarn set in the mobile-phone era."—Kirkus   "Readers will enjoy accompanying Alice and her friends on this fast-paced adventure." —School Library Journal